Pianoforte.



Patented Aug. 20, I90l. A IEDLIK. PIAIIOFURTE.

(Applicntio: Med In. 17, 1890.)

4 Shoots-Shoat (No' Model.)

WITNESSES.

A TTORNE 78 No. 680,876. Patented Aug. 20,1901.

. A. mzoux.

PIANOFORTE.

(Application filed In. 17, 1899.) (In Iodol.) 4 Shuts-Shoot 2.

INVEN70H WITNSSES I fihih mt W In!" on. movoumn. \vmmvol, a. c.

Patented Aug. 20, l90l. A. IEULIK.

PIAIIOFOBTE.

(A iphatic: M In. 17, 1890.)

4 sum-sum a.

(llo Iodnl.)

INVEN70H W/TNESSE MA /Q4 A TTOPNEYS ml norm: run co, momma wuwmvon. nv c.

No. 680,876. Patented Aug. 20, l90l.

A. IEDLIK.

PIMIOFORTE.

(AW am Jun. 11, mm (lo Iodal.) 4 Shun-Shut 4.

WITNESSES: j

INVENTUH A TTORN E Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTON MEDLIK, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY.

* PIANOFORTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 680,876, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed January 1'7, 1399. Serial No. 702,434:- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTON MEDLIK, a citizen of Austria-Hungary, residing at Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, have invented an Improvement in Pianofortes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in the combination and arrangement of features hereinafter fully set forth and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the double sounding-board referred to. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 1 y of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4: are respectively a front and a back View of the double sounding-board placed in its frame. Fig. 5 is a section on line z of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 shows a portion of Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the string-pressin g arrangement on the soundingboard.

The sounding-board is composed of two bulged-out or arched sides a b, which are glued to a correspondingly-curved edge piece 0, said sides being provided with a rib d, Fig. 2, of a strength suitable for holding them in their bulged position. They are made of wood, with the fibers running in the direction of the section-line y y of Fig. 1, whereby the tone is improved. The side piece a of the sounding-board has fixed to it curved strips (2 f, which carry double string-rest rails g, which are especially sharp at their points of support, so that the actual sounding-string length between the string-support and the sounding-board and that on the wrest-plate h is precisely and sharply limited, thereby enabling a very clear, full, and sonorous tone to be produced.

The strings are fixed on the sounding-board by pressing-strips 2', adjustable by screws j toward or away from the rails g, with which pressing-strips the strings 70, a few only of which are shown for the sake of clearness, are stretched on the two supporting-points of the rails 9, Figs. 6 and 7. This method of mounting the strings on the double soundingboard presents the advantage that the latter is relieved from the pressure of the strings, and consequently can vibrate more freely and give out a clearer and better tone. Further,

there is the advantage that when for repairing or other purposes the sounding-board is to be taken out this can be done without slackening or displacing the strings at the other fastening-places on the frame I and wrest-plate h, it being only requisite to remove thepressing-stri ps t' by unscrewing the screws j in order to set free all the strings, whereupon the sounding-board, after being unfastened at its places of attachment to the frame, can be taken out at the back of the latter, andwhen replaced it is only necessary to return the pressing-strips t' to their places and stretch them as before to produce the same tone as before.

The frame Z has two large apertures m, through which the supporting-rails g and pressing-strips i can pass to the front, Fig.

V o. The circular apertures m serve to develop or emit the tone.

In addition to the adjustable pressing-strips 2' a similar strip at is attached to the wrestplate It by screw 0, said pressing-strip serving to hold down the strings between the cushionp and the bridge q. By reason ofthe strings being thus pressed down by the pressing-strip the tone is greatly improved. For the bass strings It" a similar pressing-strip a is not employed, because they do not cross their supporting-bridge g at right angles,and for this reason are set by pins 3.

The bridge g, which limits the sounding length of the strings between it and the supporting-rails g, is provided with a wood base a", let into the iron frame Z and adapted to be removable and interchangeable, said wood base serving as an insulator between the bridge q and the frame Zto prevent the latter sounding with the strings, thereby insuring a clearer tone.

Like the supportingrails g,the interchangeable bridge q is held to stand out sharply to sharply limit the effective string length for the production of a clear tone.

The double sounding-board is fixed in the frame 1 by means of screw-bolts t, which are passed through the sidesab, the intermediate edge 0, and into the frame.

In order that the arched sides of the sound ing-board may bear properly against the frame, the nipple-shaped elevation u, and against the screw-bolt nuts, wedge-shaped packing pieces 2;, Fig. 6, are provided.

to represents dovetail recesses in the side edge Z, Fig. 4, of the frame Z, in which wood pieces are inserted to facilitatethe. fixingof wooden sides to the frame by gluing.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In combination in a piano, the frame, the double supporting bars and the pressingstrips, the double sounding-board screwed as a complete body to the piano-frame from behind,- and which is made to communicate with the strings by the double supporting-bars and hand in presence of'two witnesses.

ANTON MEDLIK. Witnesses:

EMIL REINBELT, HERNANDO DE SOTO. 

